-
4 December 2007Churches seek reassurance over incitement law 100 A joint statement from the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches in England has revealed their worries that a new incitement to homophobic hatred law might target Christian teachings.In a memorandum to a committee of MPs the churches asserted their view that "sexual activity and lifestyle, as distinct from sexual orientation, are matters of choice and impinge upon the public sphere."As such they are subject to evaluation and criticism, and freedom to discuss them must be preserved." -
4 December 2007Gay conference to be held in Malta + The 2009 European International Lesbian and Gay Association conference will be held in Malta.The Mediterranean island beat the competing Dutch city of The Hague to win the right to host the LGBT organisation's annual gathering.Malta Gay Rights Movement welcomed ILGA Europe's decision, saying it would be an opportunity to raise the visibility of LGBT issues in the Roman Catholic country, where gay people still suffer discrimination. -
4 December 2007Interview: Irish gay rights group takes on partnerships + Ireland has come a long way since decriminalising homosexuality in 1993.Last week the Republic of Ireland's Minister of State for Equality, Sean Power, reiterated that legislation allowing same-sex civil partnerships will be introduced next year.While ruling out gay marriage as unconstitutional, he did confirm that gay and straight co-habiting couples would get many spousal rights through the Civil Partnership Registration Scheme. -
4 December 2007Amnesty protests gay convictions in Morocco 1 A leading human rights group is calling on its members to protest against the conviction of six men in Morocco accused of "lewd of unnatural acts with an individual of the same sex."Amnesty International wants its 2.2 million members worldwide to write to the Moroccan authorities demanding the release of men, who were convicted on 10 December.They have been in jail since they were first arrested by the police between November 23rd and 25th 2007. -
4 December 2007Father of Barrymore pool death man awarded compensation 2 The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority has awarded Terry Lubbock £6,800 criminal injuries compensation.His 31-year-old son Stuart Lubbock was found dead in entertainer Michael Barrymore's swimming pool after a house party in March 2001.Three months later Barrymore and two other men were arrested and bailed in connection with the incident.But a year after Mr Lubbock's death, police decided no charges were to be brought against Barrymore or the other men. -
4 December 2007Irish justice minister’s first speech to gay audience 11 Brian Lenihan, Ireland's Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, will make his first address to a lesbian and gay audience today when he launches the annual report of the Gay Lesbian Equality Network.The GLEN report outlines the considerable progress towards legal recognition for same-sex couples and the advances made in other areas including community safety strategies with the GardaĆ (Irish police).The report also highlights new resource guides for inclusion and safety in education. -
4 December 2007Religious forum pledges greater tolerance for gay Muslims 7 A gay Muslim last week came out to a group of Muslim scholars at an AIDS conference who had branded homosexuality "unIslamic" and "evil" days beforehand.Suhail AbualSameed spoke openly about his sexuality to an audience of ulama, distinguished Islamic scholars, at the International Consultation on Islam and HIV/AIDS in Johannesburg, South Africa, IRIN PlusNews has reported.Mr AbualSameed, a Jordanian living in Canada, said: "As a gay Muslim, I feel unsafe, unloved and unrespected in this space." -
4 December 2007Scouts miss deadline to lift gay ban + The Philadelphia chapter of the Boy Scouts of America has ignored a deadline set by the city's officials to publicly renounce its membership bar against people who are openly homosexual or atheists if the organisation wishes to remain in its landmark headquarters on city-owned land.The scouts have been on notice for seven months that they will be evicted on May 31 if they do not drop the policies. -
4 December 2007Gay rights were part of rejected Venezuelan referendum 1 The President of Venezuela's defeat in last Sunday's referendum on whether to change the constitution also meant that a proposal to guarantee gay rights was swept aside.Hugo Chavez wanted the changes to significantly increase his powers. -
4 December 2007EU reports show increased awareness of LGBT rights + Progress reports released by the European Commission last month show improvements in the monitoring of LBGT rights in countries looking to join the European Union.Each year the European Commission monitors the achievements and progress of each of the EU candidate (Croatia, Macedonia, Turkey) and potential candidate countries in fulfilling the obligations of the partnership agreements between the country and the EU. -
4 December 2007Lesbian mother hits back at sperm donor’s claims 2 The lesbian who had two children with her civil partner after fireman Andy Bathie donated his sperm has said today he had behaved as a full-time father and should take financial responsibility for the children.Mr Bathie has to pay £450 a month toward bringing up the two children produced using his sperm.He has insisted he was only a donor and did not want take an active role in raising the kids. -
5 December 2007Former Italian PM rejects gay marriage 4 Italy's left-wing Foreign Minister said yesterday he is against gay marriage.Massimo D'Alema, a former Prime Minister who currently holds the highest post at the Italian Foreign office, was addressing high-school students in Rome, when he was asked his view on gay marriage.Mr D'Alema, who is not a Catholic, said that he was against marriage between gay people. -
5 December 2007Comment: A bad election year for Howard and the Belgians + As 2007 has only weeks left, it seems an appropriate time to reflect on what has been a truly outstanding year for those of us who follow general elections around the world.And as we gear up for an equally busy 2008 with high-profile elections in Iran, Pakistan (increasingly unlikely), Russia (unless Putin changes the constitution) and New Zealand, there is the added bonus that the biggest prize of all is now less than a year away: the race for the White House. -
5 December 2007Homophobic rapper died of natural causes 5 Pimp C, one half the rap duo UGK (Underground Kingz), was found dead in a Hollywood hotel room on Tuesday.The rapper, whose real name is Chad Butler, was 33. -
5 December 2007Queen Latifah linked to coming out rumours + Queen Latifah's latest film is called Perfect Holiday, and this Christmas season, she may be making us all little more merry.Speculations have been made that the 37-year-old Queen is not only planning on coming out of the closet, she is expected to announce her engagement to long time girl friend Jeanette Jenkins.This week, Page Six of the New York Post made reference to a successful actress that was planning on coming out of the closet. -
5 December 2007Senator denies gay sex allegations from eight men 4 United States Senator Larry Craig denied late yesterday that he had sexual encounters with several men over the last two decades.Craig, who has vowed to serve out his term in the Senate, said in a statement that the latest allegations against him, which appeared over the weekend in the Idaho Statesman, had "no basis in reality."He also accused the paper of "tabloid journalism" for publishing the article that included eight men who said they either had sex with the Idaho Republican in the past or that he made "sexual advances" toward them. -
5 December 2007Torchwood creator’s new gay drama on hold + The creator of Queer as Folk said that he will not start his working on a new proposed gay drama for several years.Russell T Davies made the comments at the press launch of series 2 of Torchwood, which will return on BBC2 in January.In October he had revealed that he was thinking of writing a script about "forty-something gay men." But during Monday's press conference, the 44 year-old writer stressed that, although he still intended to write the new announced drama about gay people, it was too early to discuss it. -
5 December 2007Gay hate preacher’s BBC blasphemy case dismissed 7 An evangelical minister who came to prominence for his protests at gay Pride events has failed to bring a private prosecution for blasphemy against the director general of the BBC.Reverend Stephen Green's actions related to the screening of the acclaimed production Jerry Springer - The Opera on BBC2 in 2005.An attempt to bring a private prosecution in January was dismissed by a district court. -
5 December 2007Brighton council may ban homophobic music + New guidelines from Brighton and Hove City Council will effectively ban "murder music" from all licensed premises.OutRage! and other gay campaigners have led a campaign against homophobic artists such as Beenie Man and Buju Banton who advocate the murder of gay men and lesbians in their music.Councillor Dee Simson, head of licensing, told The Argus: "In Brighton and Hove we have a good record on equalities and we felt it was important was important to include this in the licensing policy." -
5 December 2007Iranian execution may go ahead warns rights group 34 New York-based Human Rights Watch is concerned that the death penalty is about to be used against an Iranian man accused of sex crimes allegedly committed when he was a child.On Monday a lawyer for Makwan Mouloudzadeh told HRW that Kermanshah court had informed him that the sentence of death could now be carried out even though a required judicial review had not been completed.On May 25, 2007, Branch Seven of the Penal Court of the city of Kermanshah sentenced Mouloudzadeh to death for raping three boys in 2000.
Articles from December 2007
Top stories
UKIP leader Nigel Farage: I won’t expel members who call gay sex ‘disgusting’3
Gay Tory MP Stuart Andrew slams Sir Gerald Howarth over his ‘aggressive homosexuality community’ jibe9
David Cameron: Gay teenagers will stand that bit taller following equal marriage vote38
Yvette Cooper: ‘Let us be loud and proud, celebrate, not discriminate, and pass equal marriage’1
US: Same-sex sponsorship amendment withdrawn from broad immigration bill10
Nick Clegg: Tories need to stop fighting over equal marriage and ‘get back to governing’4
Diane Abbott: ‘Momentous’ equal marriage bill will improve the lives of so many6
MPs who voted against the third reading of the equal marriage bill40
Maria Miller: The time for equal marriage has finally come11
Angela Eagle: I am so proud that the Commons passed the equal marriage bill in its third reading12
US church blames Oklahoma tornado on gay basketball player Jason Collins47- David Cameron: Gay teenagers will stand that bit taller following equal marriage vote38
- MPs who voted against the third reading of the equal marriage bill 40
MPs pass same-sex marriage bill in final third reading51
France: Far right activist commits suicide in Notre Dame following legalisation of equal marriage 84
London: Gay couple threatened with death in violent late night homophobic assault139
London: Gay sauna denies hosting 'bareback' sex parties 28
Lib Dem Deputy Leader Simon Hughes: 'Marriage should be between one man and one woman'56
Amendments to equal marriage bill on transgender rights withdrawn at request of Equality Minister15- US: Same-sex sponsorship amendment withdrawn from broad immigration bill10
-
London: Gay couple threatened with death in violent late night homophobic assault139
Government considers watered down same-sex marriage bill to minimise Tory rebellion133
Tory MP Gerald Howarth: 'There are plenty in the aggressive homosexual community who want more than just same-sex marriage'94-
France: Far right activist commits suicide in Notre Dame following legalisation of equal marriage84
Philip Hammond: 'No great demand for gay marriage and it's upsetting vast numbers of people'73
Government to consider abolishing civil partnerships or opening up to straight couples68
Norman Tebbit: David Cameron has 'f**** things up' with his equal marriage bill64
Lib Dem MP Sarah Teather tells Catholic newspaper 'I never went into politics to tackle equal marriage'59
Tory MP David Burrowes: 'I'm not anti-gay; I'm just pro-marriage'57-
Lib Dem Deputy Leader Simon Hughes: 'Marriage should be between one man and one woman'56
On Facebook
Featured
Pink News on Twitter
Follow @PinkNews
Download our free app for iPhone + iPad
Pink News covers religion, politics, entertainment, finance, and community news for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community in the UK and worldwide. Founded to produce broadsheet quality journalism for the LGBT community, we cover politics to theology in an intelligent manner.
© 2005 - 2013 PinkNews.co.uk. All rights reserved. Web design by Felix Renicks. Hosting by Serverstream.
